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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28963797">Of Kings and Princes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustPassingBy19/pseuds/JustPassingBy19'>JustPassingBy19</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Arranged Marriage, But not exactly the same kind of Pirate King :), King Monkey D. Luffy, Long-Haired Monkey D. Luffy, M/M, Minor Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pirate King Monkey D. Luffy, Prince Trafalgar D. Water Law, Rating May Change</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:48:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,860</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28963797</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustPassingBy19/pseuds/JustPassingBy19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s not that Law was particularly surprised. At 27, he was quite overdue for The Announcement, the declaration of his intended betrothal. Nevertheless, quietly walking through the solemn hallways of the library, he still mourned the death of his freedom.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Monkey D. Luffy/Trafalgar D. Water Law, Rebecca &amp; Trafalgar D. Water Law</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>136</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Zero</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>In case anyone wants a musical background, I was listening to Light of the Seven from Game of thrones!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dusk was settling rapidly over the white kingdom of Flevance. While many were scuffling to get home on time in the streets, unusual waves of tension rippled throughout the capital.</p><p>Unperturbed nevertheless, the prince of Flevance, Trafalgar Law was quietly focusing on a new medical treaty in the private aisle of the City’s library. He delicately flipped the pages, lit only by the delicate warmth of the chandelier, but his mind irremediably seemed to ponder over his fate.</p><p>He was however quickly disturbed by the arrival of Bepo, his personal Secretary.</p><p>“Prince”, he said “I’m s-sorry to bother you but the Queen has summoned you.”</p><p>Sighing, Law closed the book, turned around and swiftly threw on his coat.</p><p>“Has she told you why?”, he asked, lifting his head.</p><p>“No, but I t-think it’s going to be an important event considering the number of nobles converging towards the palace as we speak.</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Yes. F-frankly, it’s almost guaranteed that this event will be your Announcement, so you might want to change your clothes.”, Bepo stammered.</p><p>“Yeah…”</p><p>It’s not that Law was particularly surprised. At 27, he was quite overdue for The Announcement, the declaration of his intended betrothal. Nevertheless, quietly walking through the solemn hallways of the library, he still mourned the death of his freedom.</p><p>As Flevance was a matriarchal monarchy, his sister Lamy was the heir to the White throne currently occupied by their mother. Consequently, it was tradition for male children of the Queen to be wed to foreign nobility while female children were to marry members of Flevance’s elite.</p><p>His mother had married the greatest doctor in the country, the second son of the major aristocratic family ruling over the north of the kingdom. His uncle, whom he had never met, had been sent to the Sorbet Kingdom.</p><p>The court of Flevance was reputed for its rigid etiquette, especially regarding weddings. Customs clung to every step of the process, the most important of which being that the prince to be wed should not know who they were going to marry before the Announcement.</p><p>Trying to find the logic behind such an idea at best gave Law the worst of headaches. It felt like a rule specifically made in order to torment him.</p><p>An arranged marriage was one thing, a blind arranged marriage, another.</p><p> </p><p>As they made their way to the carriage where Law’s personal driver, Jean Bart, was waiting for them, he could hear his guards Penguin and Shachi loudly whispering.</p><p>“Do you think it’s time?”, Penguin said slightly tilting his head.</p><p>“Yeah! I mean, it can’t be anything else or the prince would have told us!” Shachi replied.</p><p>“Still, what do you think will happen to us now?”</p><p>“You know I don’t know!”</p><p>Their mumbling was frankly irritating but Law couldn’t bring himself to shut them up.</p><p>Their concern was understandable.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Trafalgar Law hated wasting time. He hated leaving his research to entertain the court, he hated the decorum that burdened his every interaction and he absolutely loathed the process of getting ready to be displayed like a prized pet.</p><p>However, here he was, bound by duty and helpless before the inevitability of enduring the ceaseless fussing and spinning of his tailoress Ikkaku.</p><p>“Ikkaku, I thought we had already chosen an outfit for this.”, he asked, puzzled.</p><p>“Sure, we did, but have you seen that crowd?! I need this to be perfect, down to the last piece of embroidery, do you understand?! This is a big opportunity to promote my shop!”</p><p>“Yeah, sure, sure, just be quick okay?”, he answered with a roll of eyes.</p><p>Perfect, perfect, always perfect…</p><p>“I’m already going as fast as I can! Now stop moving!”</p><p>Truly dull.</p><p>When Ikkaku finally stopped twirling to admire her work, he let out a single breath.</p><p>Simultaneously, Penguin and Shachi decided to finally make their presence known again.</p><p>“You look so good in dark blue, Prince!” declared Penguin.</p><p>“Well to be fair, he looks good in almost everything” muttered Shachi.</p><p>“Shut up Shachi”, Penguin whispered, “Anyway…we need to go. Right now.”</p><p>“Yeah, everyone is waiting for you”</p><p>“If anyone compliments your outfit, don’t forget to mention me!” excitedly declared Ikkaku.</p><p>“I will”, Law faintly smiled.</p><p>“Also… Best of luck, Prince!” she added.</p><p>“Thanks, I’ll need it”, Law exhaled.“Let’s go, I’m ready.”</p><p> </p><p>* * *</p><p>He was, in fact, not ready. However, that did not matter now and he had to focus on maintaining appearances.</p><p>Penguin and Shachi made their way to open the massive silver doors which muffled the din of the murmurs inside of the room.</p><p>As soon as he appeared, a heavy blanket of silence fell onto the room, every stare focusing on the taciturn first son of the Queen.</p><p>
  <span>The throne room, usually rather devoid of people, was packed to the brim with members of the elite, from influential merchants to members of powerful noble families.</span>
</p><p>Amidst nobles dressed by the best tailors with the best fabrics, the Prince nevertheless remained a uniquely dashing figure with his blue suit embroidered with gold patterns, which while highlighting his golden eyes, clashed with his silvery surrounding.</p><p>Law’s gaze quickly surveyed the room. It was only lit by the soft glow of Flevance’s white crystals, assembled in multiple unconventional chandeliers, but one might have thought they were standing in the middle of the afternoon. Bepo was seated close to the door, nervously tinkering with his hands, anxiety sitting plain on his face next to Law’s former tutor and current Deputy Master of Household Cora-san, who was in a similar state.</p><p>In contrast Lami, placed at the right of the Queen seemed like she could barely contain her excitement. Ever the romantic, she had looked forward to seeing his Announcement for a long time.</p><p>Finally, he looked at his parents, ever the regal presences, and stared at his mother’s unreadable expression.</p><p>“Son of Flevance, come forward”, the Queen’s voice resounded from her throne.</p><p>He stepped forward, his shoes clicking on the white tiles, with on his shoulders the weights of the stares of every single person in the assembly.</p><p>“I answer the call of the Queen”, he replied, quickly bowing.</p><p>His mother’s heavy gaze finally left him to appraise the congregation, taking in the calculating stares of the four wardens.</p><p>“As you all know, today is the fated day of The Announcement for my first son, Prince Trafalgar Law. As a mother, my heart is heavy to see him go, but I am overcome by joy at the idea of seeing him fulfill his duty.”</p><p>She looked back at him.</p><p>“My dear son, are you fully ready to dedicate your life to the protection of our beloved kingdom of Flevance”, she asked.</p><p>He wanted to say no, that he wasn’t and probably never would entirely be ready to shoulder this kind of responsibility.</p><p>“I am ready, your Majesty”, he replied, lifting his gaze and standing straight.</p><p>“In order to bring honor to us all, do you solemnly swear to devote yourself, heart and soul to your spouse?”</p><p>This was the important part. It was crucial for Law not to show any ounce of hesitation.</p><p>“I swear it, on the honor of the House Trafalgar”, he declared, imperturbable.</p><p>“My dear son, do you swear to honor and cherish our kingdom forever”</p><p>“I swear it before the Stone Gods”</p><p>A heartbeat. Law heard his blood pumping through his veins. And finally…</p><p>“Be joyous, my son. You are to be wed to the king of Dawn.”</p><p>
  <em>What?!</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you want to see what I had in mind for the City's library :https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&amp;v=0S9807VyqEs&amp;list=PLFP6pvT72ExmaFEB41uuezH8HWfQ9p-Q5&amp;index=3&amp;t=0s</p><p>Law's dressing room (with white walls) : https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fzaremaego.artstation.com%2Fprojects%2FoY0nw&amp;psig=AOvVaw2mOkcANWmu_oG4b9BlJ8AR&amp;ust=1612402498029000&amp;source=images&amp;cd=vfe&amp;ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCNji4MPJzO4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAk</p><p>For Flevance's throne room (of course with more seats and people) :https://www.gamerclick.it/prove/upload/img/51392_final-fantasy-xiv_2014_10-20-14_028.jpg</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Ends and Beginnings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Law had always been aware that his life would change after the Announcement.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I reworked the first chapter, so it might be a good idea to re-read it before this one!</p><p>For a background song, i recommend Stories by Hitomi :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Law had always been aware that his life would change after the Announcement.</p><p>Nevertheless, he used to think that, as every prince had done in 200 years, he would marry the heiress of an important noble family in a decently powerful faraway country. Such a position would still burden him with expectations, presumably having children and acting as a sort of ambassador for Flevance, but he was prepared for these duties and expected to still be able to practice medicine without really having to care about anything else.</p><p>Staring into the void, he realized that his only real concern had been the possibility of being betrothed to someone uncooperative, or worse, to someone who would be too clingy.</p><p>He had never expected to be wed to the King of one of the most powerful nations in the world.</p><p>Fuck, he didn’t even know the wedding customs of Dawn.</p><p>Unfortunately, this was certainly not the moment for him to lose his focus. He quickly came back to the sound of whispers in the room. He could already imagine that this news would certainly make as many waves in the kingdom at it did in the assembly.</p><p>His mother stood up, prompting every member of the assembly to kneel.</p><p>By a movement of her finger, she prompted the guard to her left to plod towards her, gently holding what seemed to be a sword.</p><p>The guard carefully handed the sword to her before bowing and walking back to his place.</p><p>“This is Kikoku.”, she began, her fingers tracing the length of the scabbard. “She is a cursed blade crafted by the finest blacksmiths and she holds unmatched power. I trust that you shall subdue her demons and that, in due time, this sword will become your greatest protector”</p><p>The sword’s scabbard was decorated with white crosses and a strange red string was tied near its opening. She was a long weapon, almost as tall as Law himself, and quite heavy, as a result. Clearly a blade fitting for the spouse of a King. Strangely, she was strikingly silent and her weight almost seemed comforting to Law.</p><p>He lifted his eyes from the sword to gaze at his mother’s face and bowed in silent gratitude. She shot him back a kind smile.</p><p>The Queen then went ahead with the rest of the ceremony. With grand hand gestures, she retold the story of the foundation of Flevance, one that Law had heard many, many times.</p><p>The legend went that the first Queen arrived with her people in Flevance after being driven out of a forgotten continent beyond the Frozen Sea and made a sacred pact with the Stone Gods who ruled the land. The people of Flevance would worship the Gods and treat the naturally-occurring Amber Lead as sacred and in exchange they would be granted prosperity and security.</p><p>Did Law believe in this legend? He wasn’t sure. His rational mind wanted to dismiss it as a mere fairy tale, however Lammy certainly seemed to think it was true and she was not a fool. He had never been privy to the real worship rituals associated with the duties of the Queen, so she might have been aware of more compelling evidences.</p><p>Nevertheless, the fact that they even were able to live on top of such a large reserve of Amber Lead without getting poisoned was a miracle in of itself.</p><p>And so, for the first time in a long, long time, Law’s mind did not drift during his mother’s prayer and he asked the Gods to be with him.</p><p>He went through the end of the ceremony in a daze, the weight of Kikoku ironically being the only thing anchoring him.</p><p>At last, he was personally congratulated by dozens of nobles, from the warm felicitations of his Uncle Dalton, the Warden of the North, to the slimy praises of the Warden of the West, Wapol.</p><p>When it was time for him to take his leave, he found Penguin, Shachi and Bepo eagerly waiting behind the doors.</p><p>“Prince, what the hell?! You’re going to be, you’re going to be…” rambled Shachi, “Wait, what are you going to be exactly? A Queen?!!”</p><p>“Prince Consort…”, he replied, staring into the space, “I’m going to be Prince Consort”</p><p>* * *<br/>
Law had never been happier to know that a banquet was not usually scheduled after the Announcement.</p><p>The whole ceremony had tired him out and he frankly just wanted to get away with eating a little and passing out.</p><p>He savored the quiet chill of the dining hall, with only the quiet company of his parents and his sister. It gave him space to think.</p><p>He understood why he needed to go. Avoiding succession issues, strengthening the position of Flevance internationally, strengthening his family’s position as rulers nationally... At the same time, however, he couldn’t keep himself from questioning this decision.</p><p>“Are you sure about this?”, he simply inquired. <em>Are you sure you want to trust me with this?</em> he wanted to say.</p><p>“Don’t doubt your mother.”, his father gently replied, “You are the best anyone could ever want for this role.”</p><p>At the end of the day, it was true. For all that he didn’t want to, Law knew that if he put his heart to it, he knew how to lead people better than 90% of the current royalty in the world.</p><p>“This marriage is of capital importance”, the Queen followed “It will be a show of strength for our family. The wardens have been making moves to further their power too much lately. This will keep them at bay”</p><p>“The previous King was adamant that his son was going to be the one to succeed him. As he was around your age, the King proposed for us to set up a marriage between the two of you when his son would rise to power”, his father added.</p><p>So, this plan had been in the making for a long time… Now it made sense why his father had always insisted for him to also learn how to become a proper ruler in addition to studying medicine. Why Cora-san had been chosen to be his tutor instead of Lammy’s.</p><p>“Unfortunately, the old King died three years ago and his son followed him soon after. However, the current King has agreed to still honor the engagement. This is a perfect opportunity, one that we cannot refuse anyway.”</p><p>Why had the previous King even proposed this wedding in the first place? Why did the current King agree to it, if he was not bound by the engagement? These questions quickly spun around Law’s mind, before more pressing matters were brought up.</p><p>“You will leave in two days. I already sent my secretary to inform Rosinante of the specifics of your travel in case you have any more questions.”, the Queen finally declared.</p><p>Law dispassionately looked down at his plate. He wasn't hungry.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Law examined the bedroom of his childhood. This would be one of the last times he would ever sleep here. This was where he had grown up, and it had changed over the year with him.</p><p>He looked over the soberly decorated pale walls, the black and gold four-poster bed where he used to be confined, the dark blue armchair where he would often fall asleep after long nights of studying and training, a film of pleasant and grim memories playing in his head.</p><p>His eyes fell upon his bookshelf upon which rested his old dotted fur hat. He used to wear it all the time when he was younger. As a matter of fact, he even remembered wearing this hat when he met Cora-san for the first time.</p><p>He was pulled out of his nostalgia by the sound of footsteps behind him.</p><p>“Well, we knew this was coming”, Rosinante began.</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“I’ll miss you.”</p><p>“I’m not gone yet”, he turned around and calmly replied.</p><p>“You’re not…but we both know two days is hardly anything.”</p><p>Law just lifted his head to stare at Rosinante. Strangely, this intimidating and towering man was the closest thing he had to a maternal figure. The Queen was kind, but to him she had always stayed the Queen. In addition to teaching him table manners, diplomacy and military strategy, it had been Cora-san who had stayed with him when he was sick and who scolded him when he didn’t eat or sleep enough.</p><p>Ironically their encounter had been one of pure luck.</p><p>It was the first time that Law had followed his father and uncle to go hunt in the woods near the north-western border with the Kingdom of Rubeck. He had been the only one to notice Cora-san and his painted face bleeding out in the snow. The sight of his father saving the man’s life in extremis had inspired him to become a doctor.</p><p>Law barely remembered it now. He had only been five at the time. Since then, however, Cora-san had ditched the strange makeup and had always remained by his side.</p><p>“Dawn is not too far away. I’ll try my best to come visit you,” Cora-san grinned.</p><p>They both knew he would not be able to.</p><p>Donquixote Rosinante was the runaway brother of the King of Dressrosa. It was fine for him to be in a secluded country like Flevance, but in Dawn, he would be in danger of an assassination attempt. Furthermore, there was no guarantee he would not simply be sent back to Dressrosa to avoid a diplomatic incident. Sent back to die for peace.</p><p>And Law couldn’t put him in this position. The queen would not allow it anyway.</p><p>“Yeah”, he just replied.</p><p>“Anyway, I came here because I also have something for you!”</p><p>The man started fumbling around in his bag, almost tripping in the process. Law quirked an eyebrow.</p><p>“Tada!”, at last, Cora-san beamed.</p><p>In his hands was a furred hat that was not unlike the one resting on his bookshelf. The only real difference between them was its cap-like shape. Other than that, the fur, the patterns, the colors, everything else was identical.</p><p>“You used to love wearing that hat when you were younger! I remember that it was even the first thing I noticed when I first met you! I was so sad when it became too small for you… So, I had this one specially made from the same shop in the North where your father bought the first one! I heard from your mother that Dawn was a pretty warm country so I asked for it to be have a bit less fur. And the shape should be able to protect you from the sun! I wanted to give it to you for your birthday but-”</p><p>Law’s eyes widened at the sight of the hat and he chuckled at the sound of Cora-san’s rambling.</p><p>Was it really luck that he met Cora-san, he wondered, or was it fate? Anyway, the man always made the most distressing situations feel lighter.</p><p>“Thank you, Cora-san, I love it.”</p><p> </p><p>* * *</p><p>A day had already passed by in a flash, between formal goodbyes to the nobility and packing his most important possessions. At last, Law was almost ready to go.</p><p>He was heading to the library to finalize his preparations when he noticed her, standing against the pale wall in the corridor.</p><p>Lammy…</p><p>He hadn’t been able to see her much and certainly had not been able to talk to her considering their respective duties.</p><p>But here she was, waiting for him, like she didn’t have responsibilities or obligations, like she wasn’t the heir to the throne.</p><p>“Would you go with me for a walk, Brother?”, she asked.</p><p>“Sure”, he nodded.</p><p>They silently made their way to the garden.</p><p>“Your Announcement can only mean mine could happen at any moment now”, she began.</p><p>“I’m sorry I won’t be here to see it”, he muttered</p><p>“It’s not your fault.”</p><p>They stopped before a row of blue iris. Lammy gently leaned towards the flowers.</p><p>“We used to spend so much time in this garden”, she remembered.</p><p>“Yeah, you loved running around and getting lost in the labyrinth”</p><p>“And you always stayed with me to make sure I didn’t get hurt, even when you felt unwell.”</p><p>“Someone had to.” He faintly smiled.</p><p>They continued toward the tall oak tree standing at the center of the garden. All of their childhood had gone on around its wise figure.</p><p>Lammy placed her hand on the trunk of the tree.</p><p>“Remember when you carved our names on it? They’re still here!”</p><p>“Cora-san was furious, when he saw me with that knife”, he grinned.</p><p>“He was”, she giggled.</p><p>A frown quickly obscured her face, however, and she spun to stare at him, with all the might of the princess of Flevance.</p><p>“Brother, this tree has been here for centuries, and it will hopefully stay here for many more.”</p><p>“As long as it stands here, as a reminder of our time together” she added, “and as long as I am here, this castle will always be your home. No matter where you are.”</p><p>They quietly stared at each other. He could already see her eyes beginning to dampen.</p><p>“So, promise me that you will be okay and that you won’t forget us, alright?”</p><p>Here was the moment that he dreaded for so long.</p><p>Law was prepared to leave his parents behind, the member of his household he liked to call his friends and even, to some extent, Cora-san.</p><p>But Lammy, Lammy was his little sister. Lammy with her kind eyes and her endless cheerfulness. Lammy who always rambled about finding true love. Lammy who just wanted to help others without thinking of herself. He felt ill at the idea of leaving her alone to shoulder the weight of being the Queen’s successor. He would not be there for her Announcement, not for her wedding, the birth of her children and likely not even for her Coronation.</p><p>He knew she would do amazing; she had a good head on her shoulders when it came down to it, but looking into her big tearful eyes, he only saw the seven year old who always followed him around. The one that enthusiastically sat down on the floor of the library and listened to him go on and on about different medical techniques and plants, when she obviously preferred to play outside with her friends.</p><p>Without a word, he went ahead and hugged her tightly. It felt awkward being this emotional, but in this moment, he just wanted to be able to break down a little.</p><p>“I’ll never forget you. And I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”</p><p>This was why he was doing this in the end. Law hated to be given orders, but he would comply with this one, because a safe and prosperous Flevance would be a better place for his sister.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Law bowed in front of the Queen. He would miss her. She had always been a calm and kind figure in his life, an ideal of nobility and character.</p><p>She had also always remained a constant reminder of his obligations and restrictions.</p><p>He shook his father’s hand. The man had been, and in many ways still, was his role model and the silent acknowledgment between them was enough now .</p><p>He was then pulled into a tight teary hug by Corazon, followed by another one from Bepo, Penguin, Shachi and Ikkaku. It was quite improper for them to just jump on him in such a way in public, but Law frankly did not care. After all, what place did rules have in such emotional farewells? They had been loyal to him all those years, had grown with him and most importantly, they were his friends. He had made sure that they would be reassigned to Lammy’s household after he left, but still, his heart broke at the idea of leaving all of them behind.</p><p>Again, another embrace from Lammy, a promise to meet again, and Law climbed in the coach without looking back. They had all wanted to accompany him to the port to see him off, but it felt more appropriate for him to go there alone. Because from now on, he knew that he would be.</p><p>He had been told that the King of Dawn had sent a ship to pick him up, and a member of his council as an escort.</p><p>He found himself at the port of Rakesh, after a few days of travel, appraising from the distance a rather enormous and colorful boat. It had a distinct cartoony aesthetic to it, which was quite uncommon to say the least, with what appeared to be a mix of a sun and a lion teddy bear face as a figurehead.</p><p>A tall, dark-haired woman was the one to greet him.</p><p>She was dressed in a typical pirate outfit with a dark blue corset fitted over a loose-fitting white blouse, low rise brown pants and high and practical boots. On her head reposed sunglasses, but her most striking piece of clothing was a rather formal indigo coat with a perceivable red lining, and gold epaulettes which rested on her shoulders.</p><p>“Pleased to meet you, your Highness”, she slightly bowed “My name is Nico Robin. I am the Kingdom of Dawn’s Culture and Heritage Secretary and I will be your escort for this trip”</p><p>“My fiancé doesn’t care to come find me himself?"</p><p>He did not truly feel slighted, but he had to say something if he was to establish his status early.</p><p>“We had to stop Luffy from coming actually. He has many things to manage back home.”</p><p>
  <em>Just Luffy, huh?</em>
</p><p>He blankly stared at her.</p><p>He briefly turned around one last time, savoring a view he would not see in a long, long time. He took in the high white mountains and the snowy fields, relished in the caress of the cold wind on his face. Who knew what oddities were waiting for him beyond the sea?</p><p>Law stepped forward.</p><p>“Alright” Robin said, “Let’s go onboard”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, that took a bit of time... I'll try to update more quickly next time! Anyway thank you for reading and, as always, let me know if you find a typo or a mistake!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Winds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>She was a stranger to him, but one of the few ones he had always been eager to meet.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Welcome aboard The Thousand Sunny, Your Highness. This is the King’s personal ship, and the best one you can find on Dawn.”, Robin smiled, clasping her hands together.</p><p>She swiftly gestured to a pink haired girl in a frippery summer yellow dress waiting on the side.</p><p>“This is Rebecca. She will be your housekeeper for the length of this trip.”</p><p>The girl smoothly curtsied.</p><p>“It’s an honor to meet you, your Highness”</p><p>He nodded, his eyes quickly trailing the length of her body. Her posture was pristine, clearly well-practiced, but a bit rigid.</p><p>“Rebecca, please show the Prince to his room so he can settle in. Your Highness, I hope to see you at dinner.”</p><p>He followed Rebecca down a simply decorated wooden corridor.</p><p>“This is your room, Your Highness. All of your important belongings have already been placed inside. I can also unpack and arrange them for you if you would like me to?”</p><p>“I’ll be fine,” he replied, barely sparing her a glance.</p><p>“If you need anything, just press the black button next to the lamp and I’ll be here immediately!”</p><p>“Alright”</p><p>In the matter of a few moments, she bowed and took broad strides towards the exit. Law turned around to find his possessions, hearing the soft click of the door.</p><p>At least she wasn’t too invasive.</p><p>The room was scintillating with the soft rays of the sun peeking through a middle-sized window. There was enough space to move around a bit, as well as a double bed, but it remained reasonably spartan in comparison to his room in Flevance. No gold broderie or anything frivolous of the sort, just the essential furniture, a bed table, a desk, a drawer, all made from the same brown sturdy wood.</p><p>Unembellished and straightforward. Law liked that.</p><p>He sat on the chair and looked through the window as Flevance became more and more distant with every passing second. Eventually it was too tiny to see and Law finally got up again.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Having quickly settled in his room, Law figured he could spend the time before dinner reading on the deck. As he made his way outside, he finally saw her. The sea. Not just the small waves of Rakesh’s harbor he had only seen once or twice. This was the real deal.</p><p>This sea was a stranger to him, but one of the few ones he had always been eager to meet. Law had only ever known sleeping streams, cold forests and sunny gardens but his childhood had been filled with stories from Cora-san’s sailing days. For all that he had tried to restrain his enthusiasm as he grew older, the scent of salty waters bathing in the sun still had often lingered in his dreams.</p><p>That was why he now found himself watching the sun slowly fall behind the horizon, as he leaned on the railing of the Thousand Sunny, the book he had planned to read long abandoned.</p><p>The interior of the vessel was as extravagant as its exterior. What kind of ship even had grass on its deck? Nevertheless, Law also found it to have a certain majesty in the dimming light. Sunny's sheer size was imposing and, despite the fact that the vessel was undamaged, the wisdom of a traveler that had scoured numerous seas and braved dangerous currents was engraved in the smooth wood under his arms.</p><p>He was drawn out of his contemplation of the waves by Rebecca’s soft voice coming from his left. She informed him that dinner was ready, as he slowly detached himself from his spot to follow her through the stairs.</p><p>The room she led him to looked more like a bar than a real dining room. It had a large glass window revealing an aquarium and the silky blue hue of its water slightly tinted the tiles on the floor.</p><p>In the bright glow of the lamp, he saw Robin waiting by the door.</p><p>“I hope you comfortably settled into your quarters, your Highness” she said, leading him to the table.</p><p>“They’re comfortable enough,” he replied.</p><p>“I’m glad to know that”</p><p>Dinner was then served and they both started to eat in a comfortable silence. As they were waiting for the dessert. Law decided to speak up.</p><p>“Nico-ya, would you mind answering some questions?”</p><p>Some things in this whole affair did not add up and it would have been foolish for him to venture in a kingdom he knew nothing about. Nico Robin, as a member of the King's Cabinet, seemed like a perfect source of information.</p><p>“Not at all, your Highness”, she replied, a mysterious smile on her lips.</p><p>“What can you tell me about the way things work in Dawn?”, he bluntly asked.</p><p>“Well, well that is a broad question. We are quite unique, I would say, in the sense that the kingdom of Dawn does not formally have any blood-based class system. In our country, your position is determined by two things.” She raised two fingers “Your strength and your heart”</p><p>Law at least already knew that. It was one of the reasons why he had never included Dawn in his predictions. It did not harbor any noble families per se for him to marry into.</p><p>“We have a sort of elective monarchy”, Robin continued. “Each of the eight provinces elects a representative for the Royal Trials in which the representatives all fight for the throne. That way, our King demonstrates both the versatility of their fighting style and their ability to be respected by the people.”</p><p>It made sense, then, that the king was a male open to marrying men. It also implied that Law would never have any biological children of royal rank who would have enough standing and proximity to Flevance to, at some point, threaten the daughter of his sister’s or her designated successor’s claim for the throne. Flevance would reap the benefits of a royal marriage while avoiding the risk of a civil war similar to the one that had scarred it two hundred years ago.</p><p>However, this same fact also opened the new problem of the expiration date of any things Law would accomplish . Sure he might be able to sway the current King… But would the future ones have any attachment pushing them to seek a friendly relationship with Flevance?</p><p>“The last trials took place three years ago. Our King, Monkey D. Luffy was the representative chosen for the region of Foosha and won the tournament, of course.”</p><p>“Who were the other competitors? To have been chosen by their regions they must be quite influential.”</p><p>“You are correct. Usually, they are either powerful merchants, mercenary leaders, local officials or pirate captains. Aside from Luffy, three years ago, the candidates were the mercenaries Vinsmoke Reiju, Sir Crocodile, Buggy and Marshall D. Teach as well as the pirates Jewelry Bonney, Charlotte Smoothie and Eustass Kid.”</p><p>“Pirates?” He raised an eyebrow, “Isn’t piracy illegal?”</p><p>Robin chuckled.</p><p>“It is…”, she smiled, “If you are caught attacking ships registered in our country or in one of our allied nations. Every other ship is unprotected by our laws.”</p><p>Obviously, Law deduced, with his betrothal, Flevance would become one of these allied nations and be secure enough to open itself to the numerous trade routes which converged towards Dawn.</p><p>The kingdom was manifestly powerful enough to not fear retaliation from other countries for being a base for piracy. Law also assumed that its geographical position provided it with an advantage big enough for it to become a major hub and basically a maritime superpower.</p><p>In short, as Dawn was the closest island to Flevance right at the South across the Flower Sea, the alliance would also potentially act as a deterrent and a fail-safe against attacks by sea.</p><p>“Really, everything is permitted for our ships except participation in the slave trade.”</p><p>Law slightly tilted his head in confusion.</p><p>Robin, nevertheless, continued “Our people are known for having the sea in our blood. And, well, most people in Dawn do grow up to become honorable fishermen. The more adventurous ones try their hands at trade. And the daring, the daring become pirates.”</p><p>She twirled her glass of wine.</p><p>“A pirate from Dawn just needs to be nimble enough to escape from other governments in order to be free on the sea.”</p><p>* * *</p><p>The next morning, Law decided to take some time to practice his swordsmanship before heading to the library where Robin had said she would be happy to answer more of his questions. He was getting a bit rusty at this point and he would rather not lose the ability to defend himself properly.</p><p>As Rebecca entered his room to bring him breakfast, he quickly asked her if there was anywhere on the ship with enough space and privacy for him to train.</p><p>She directed him to the crow nest while setting down the tray.</p><p>He quickly finished eating and made his way to the room. All the way up there, he would certainly not be disturbed and the gigantic weights stored in the crow nest made clear that it was the ship’s designated training area.</p><p>Law took a deep breath and unsheathed Kikoku. Nodachis necessitated special techniques in order to be drawn as quickly as shorter swords, but that was a minor trade-off considering the upgrade in range he would gain in exchange. And with his power, range was a very important factor.</p><p>He paused to think it over before deciding that getting used to using Kikoku without any enhancement was his priority right now. The sword was still silent; it was best for him to take advantage of it.</p><p>He meticulously went through all the different forms he knew, trying to adjust to the weight and length of his weapon. His balance still felt off but Law was sure he could rectify this by the time they got to Dawn…</p><p>All of a sudden, he heard a shrill cry piercing through the air. Unsettled, he looked down toward the source of the sound, which seemed to be the sword in his hands. After a few minutes passed, it was annoyingly clear that she was not going to stop anytime soon.</p><p>Law shook his head, trying to ignore her to continue his exercises. This was going to be a pain.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Law’s routine went that way for about a week. In the mornings, he trained and in the afternoons he spent time in the library with Robin, either conversing with her or simply taking advantage of the extensive medical book catalogue at his disposition, while she invested herself in her archeological research. Robin had a sharp intellect, and most of her remarks were incredibly pertinent. Despite the fact that she could be cryptic at times, it also didn’t seem like she had any vested interest in misleading him so their time together ended up being truly invaluable.</p><p>One night, however, insomnia struck him again, obviously a situation in which Kikoku’s wailing was not helping. Law briefly entertained the idea of taking some of the sleeping pills he had brought with him but there was an unusual restlessness sitting underneath his skin.</p><p>He decided that his best option was to just go train in the crow nest again, futilely hoping to exhaust himself.</p><p>As he made his way on the deck and looked up, he noticed that, for some reason, the lights were still on.</p><p>When he opened the door, he was surprised to find Rebecca there. Her head was already lowered in contrition as she immediately apologised.</p><p>“I am so sorry, your Highness, I didn’t know you would need to use the crow nest at this late hour”</p><p>It was eerie. Almost as if she had known he was coming. He waved off her apology and asked.</p><p>“How did you know I was going to enter the room? I’m pretty sure I didn’t make any noise”</p><p>“Huh? Oh, I just used Observation Haki”, she blushed.</p><p>“Observation Haki?”</p><p>“Yes, your Highness, it’s an ability that allows me to sense people’s presence and movements”</p><p>“I see”</p><p>He didn’t really see, no, but the world was full of interesting abilities and this one seemed like a particularly useful skill. Both for a housekeeper and for a soldier.</p><p>He noticed that on her back was a heavy-looking longsword.</p><p>“Are you trained to use that sword?”, he asked.</p><p>“Yes, your Highness”</p><p>“Let’s spar”</p><p>She tilted her head, slightly confused.</p><p>“Are you sure, your Highness?”</p><p>“Yes, I am. Don't hold back”</p><p>He was slightly surprised to see her immediately shift to a defensive fighting stance, without any more protest, resolve quickly painting itself on her face.</p><p>“I will not lose, your Highness”</p><p>She was pretty good, quickly spinning on her feet and dancing around his attacks with the swiftness of a summer breeze.</p><p>It was annoying to not be able to land any real blow on her but also fascinating.</p><p>On the other hand, even though she kept a solid grip on her sword’s handle and it seemed almost weightless while she moved, her attacks didn’t hold much force. Even if he couldn’t dodge all of them, they were rather easy to block.</p><p>At last, after quite a bit of time, they came to a pause. Outside, the sun was already rising and in the heat of their duel, Kikoku had finally quieted down again.</p><p>“Where did you learn this ability?”, Law asked, sheathing back his sword.</p><p>“Luffy-san was the one to teach me, your Highness”</p><p>“Luffy-san… As in the King?”</p><p>“Yes, your Highness. He’s even better than me”</p><p>Law briefly pondered over Rebecca’s closeness to said King but decided that it was not the best time to keep probing.</p><p>“Just drop the “Your Highness”, Rebecca-ya, and call me Law.”</p><p>As Rebecca stared at him stunned, Law just rolled his shoulders and smirked.</p><p>“From now on, how about we become training partners?”</p><p>* * *</p><p>After three weeks at sea, Law couldn’t help but be grateful to be back on steady ground.</p><p>His head spun from the scents of the various spices and fresh fishes, while he momentarily basked in the heat of the sun. All around him were the sounds of the ropes of sailors, the shouts of merchants, and the chatter of customers. He opened his eyes. The port was bustling with life, colorful market stalls and even more colorful boats. <em>A true picture of prosperity</em>, he mused.</p><p>As Robin and Rebecca disembarked beside him, Law heard a strident “Robin” resonating over the clamor. His eyes focused upon a man running towards them at an alarming speed. The man had long black hair, wildly flying in the wind and wide round eyes that shone like a starry night. He wasn’t handsome per se, but his cheerful smile and boyish charm kept Law’s gaze lingering on him even more than his yelling did.</p><p>The man literally threw himself Robin, who seemed to have been expecting it, as she did not even flinch.</p><p>“I missed youuu!!!”</p><p>“Yes, it’s been a while Captain”, she said, gently tapping on his back as they settled into the hug.</p><p>Captain? This guy was the captain of a ship?</p><p>“Is this your little brother?” He finally asked after a moment had passed.</p><p>“Hum? Oh, no that’s Luffy!”, she replied, smiling brightly.</p><p><em>Luffy</em>? Like…No, that couldn’t be. Maybe Luffy was a common name in Dawn?</p><p>The man (Luffy?) turned his head to look at him, beaming.</p><p>“Yo! My name is Monkey D. Luffy and I’m the Pirate King!”, he said holding up his hand in salutation.</p><p>Law stared at him. Luffy stared back.</p><p>A beat passed. Then another one.</p><p>Law nodded.</p><p>“I’m Trafalgar Law, Prince of Flevance and your fiancé.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for more than 100 kudos!!! I'm really grateful for all the support and comments I've been getting with this story, they really keep me motivated!!!Thanks for reading this chapter and as always, please let me know if you find a typo or an error!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just wanted to contribute to the Lawlu fandom! This is my first true fanfic and I'm not a native english speaker so please be gentle! don't hesitate to let me know if you see a typo! Also come say hi to me on twitter if you want @yuuji_fan</p></blockquote></div></div>
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